Remember when I mentioned the Sam Edelman appearance at Belk? Well, that was today! He is super awesome and not to mention talented! His shoes are gorgeous, comfortable and pretty reasonably priced. Here are some of the hotness in his current collection that was in the store:

I cut the size large and I added an inch to the length, but I probably could have left it as it was. As far as jackets go, this is a very simple jacket that I would recommend if you've never sewn a jacket. It's collarless, so you wouldn't have to try and tackle notched collar. And it's kind of boxy, so you wouldn't have to make 10 muslins perfecting the fit.

The only real tailoring method I used on this was to stay tape the roll lines. The jacket is fully lined and has a back yoke that is easily bagged. And I added a thin shoulder pad.

"Colorblocking" is one of the biggest trends this season. It's an awesome way to brighten up your spring wardrobe with bold and vibrant colors. I saw this dress by Heidi Merrick and I was inspired to make my own since this one was $437!

To recreate this look, I used Butterick 5522 as my base pattern. As you see, the original design looks pretty boxy and shapeless. I decided to use this pattern because I wanted an a-line fit. I've had this pattern in my drawer since it was first released. I always thought this was a cute dress, being that it was a Trina Turk knockoff. I never got around to making it because I was deterred by the reviews I read. Most referred to the dress as being "tent-ish". When I think of that, I instantly think "maternity-ish" and after being pregnant three times, I ran screaming from that look! But after seeing Cidell's version, I completely changed my mind. Sometimes you need to listen to your instinct instead of completely relying on reviews.

To achieve my inspiration look, I first lengthened the pattern by 2 inches. I made a 1 inch non-dart FBA and changed the sleeve to a slimmer style. I cut the back, front and sleeve pattern pieces into block sections and created new seam allowances. And I also used an exposed zipper because that was a detail of the original design. I used cotton jersey fabric whereas the original used silk crepe.

When you see the price tag for a Chanel jacket and thought it to be ridiculous, you should watch this video. I've made a "Chanel-like" jacket with all of the handsewn couture elements. And it was definitely a labor intensive project. (Hence the fact that I've not made another!) The Haute Couture house's process is incredibly mesmerizing! Take a look!

So, I've been seeing high-low hem skirts and dresses everywhere. And I mean everywhere! But the ones I've seen in the stores are usually too short for me. They hit me at the mid-thigh... like the length of a mini skirt. So that only left one option:

To make one myself. I used the same process for this skirt that I did when I made my maxi skirt last summer. Mimi wrote a great tutorial and I read over that to make sure I was on the right track and I started cutting. I knew how to shape the hemline, but it was just a matter of getting the right length for the front and the back.

My seams are serged and I added elastic to the waist. And since this fabric is a plissé, I was going to leave the hem raw but this fabric was starting to shred. So I left a serged hem. I found the fabric at Joanns.

So, my spring sewing is off to a great start. My plan for March is to be a beast in the sewing room! Now, let's hope the mojo holds out!

I've been wanting a white blazer for the longest. I was planning (and still planning) to do a more classic-cut tailored white jacket, but I ran across Simplicity 2250a Cynthia Rowley pattern,while flipping through the pattern catalog. I'd always thought the dress was really cute for one of my daughters, but I'd never notice the jacket. So I did my research to see if anyone else had made the jacket and I read the reviews that I found.

I used a white wool-blend crepe suiting that I've had for a while. I cut the size 16. I knew I wanted my blazer to be longer than picture, so I lengthened it by 3 inches and I tapered it in slightly at the waist. I did that to compensate for the omitted self-belt and the boxy-ness of the original draft.

The jacket is unlined, which would normally bother me. But since I'm sewing for spring and summer, it's perfect. I always want something lightweight to wear when going into cold movie theaters and chilly restaurants during warm days. And to give the blazer a crisp finish, I interfaced the binding that trims the edge of the blazer. The jacket also has 3/4 length sleeves that were fine right out of the envelope.

As several other reviewers mentioned, this top is very simple. It's one piece and binding for sleeves. But it's cut extremely LOW! But that was easily solved by just sewing the seam higher. And also, the instructions suggested using a "weight" for the inside of that seam. No... didn't have one, so I used a penny. Seems to be working just fine. I cut the size 16 and used a mint green rayon spandex jersey. And I left the hem raw. A raw hem on fabric like this for tops like these just works for me.